While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.” But he said in reply to the one who told him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”Matthew 12:46-50

Some interprets that in this bible passage, Jesus is rejecting His family members, including His mother. However, Jesus did not reject them, but rather took this opportunity to make a very important point: His family members are not limited to those who related to Him biologically, but include those who do His Father’s will.

Therefore, this statement also acknowledges Mary as His mother, because she humbly accepted God’s call on her as the Savior’s mother, taking up an important role in God’s salvation plan. As at another occasion, a woman from the crowd called out and said to Jesus, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” And Jesus replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” (Luke 11:27-28) Jesus was not saying Mary, being His mother who carried Him in her womb and nursed Him, is not blessed, but rather, He is saying her faith, humility and obedience in following God’s will, is a greater reason she is blessed and highly favored in God’s eyes, more than the fact that she is Jesus’ biological mother.

Jesus loves each of us unconditionally, but He needs our response to His love, and that is to love God in the highest, and do His will. Then, we are Jesus’ family members, and the sons and daughters of His Father in Heaven.